Anthurium plant named ‘Cherry Red’

ABSTRACT

A new Anthurium plant named ‘Cherry Red’ particularly distinguished by its dark-red, heart-shaped spathes, which are durable and may retain their color for 8 weeks or more. The foliage of ‘Cherry Red’ is thick, durable, dark-green and shiny with reddish brown petioles and midribs. Plants of ‘Cherry Red’ are large in stature and best suited for pot sizes 20 cm and larger.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application is copending with U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/588,123 which is drawn to the sibling cultivar ‘Orange Crush’.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Cherry Red’.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program, and was obtained from a cross made during such a program in Florida. The female or seed parent was the patented cultivar Anthurium ‘Red Hot’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,355). The male or pollen parent was the cultivar Anthurium ‘Kozohara’ (unpatented).

‘Cherry Red’ was discovered and selected as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by the inventor, Ann E. Lamb, in November 1995 in a controlled environment in Florida.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar performed by the inventor by division done in Apopka, Fla., and tissue culture done in Sebring, Fla., was used to increase the number of plants for evaluation and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction and reproduce true to type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of ‘Cherry Red’ which in combination distinguish this Anthurium as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Plants produce dark-red, heart-shaped spathes with a purple spadix;

2. Spathes are durable and may retain their color for approximately 8 weeks or more;

3. Foliage is thick, durable, dark-green and shiny with reddish-brown petioles and primary veins; and,

4. Plants are best suited for pot sizes 20 cm and larger.

‘Cherry Red’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and daylength, without any change in genotype.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar in comparison to ‘Cherry Red’ is the cultivar Anthurium ‘Red Hot’. In comparison to ‘Red Hot’, the spathes of ‘Cherry Red’ are much darker red and are longer lasting, larger and more heart-shaped than the spathes of ‘Red Hot’. The foliage of ‘Cherry Red’ is considerably darker green and more durable than the foliage of ‘Red Hot’. Plants of ‘Cherry Red’ are more tolerant of adverse growing conditions than plants of ‘Red Hot’.

The male parent plant, Anthurium ‘Kozohara’ produces large (15 cm) heart-shaped dark red spathes with a white spadix, which are held high above the foliage in the center of the plant. The leaves are light to medium green in color, and the petioles and stems are green. The plant grows best in cool tropical conditions (low 80s day temp, 65 F. night). In comparison, Anthurium ‘Cherry Red’ produces dark red heart-shaped spathes with a purple spadix which are held above the foliage. The leaves of ‘Cherry Red’ are darker green than those of ‘Kozohara’, and its stems and petioles are tinged with reddish-brown. Plants of ‘Cherry Red’ are more tolerant of temperature extremes (high of 104 F., low 55 F.) than are plants of ‘Kozohara’.

In comparison to the sibling cultivar, ‘Orange Crush’, which produces orange spathes, ‘Cherry Red’ produces dark red spathes. Over time, plants of ‘Orange Crush’ will grow a bit taller and fuller than those of ‘Cherry Red’. The two varieties are similar in appearance, leaf shape and leaf color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color photographic illustration shows typical characteristics of ‘Cherry Red’, with colors being as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type.

Sheet 1 illustrates a top perpective view of the inflorescence and foliage of a plant of ‘Cherry Red’ grown in a 20-cm pot approximately 12 months after planting a 20-week-old liner obtained by tissue culture and grown under appropriate growing conditions.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe 17 month old plants (5 month old liner+12 month finish time) finished in 20 cm pots as grown in Apopka, Fla. under greenhouse conditions typical of the horticultural industry in Central Florida. All color references are measured against The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Colour Chart. Colors are approximate as color depends on horticultural practices such as light level and fertilization rate, among others, without, however, any variance in genotype.

Classification:

Commercial.—Anthurium hybrid cv. ‘Cherry Red’.

Parentage:

Male parent.—Anthurium ‘Kozohara’.

Female parent.—Anthurium ‘Red Hot’.

Propagation: Vegetative, by tissue culture.

Plant: Under appropriate growing conditions, plant reaches a size of approximately 57 cm to 65 cm in height from soil plane to the top of the leaf canopy, and approximately 57 cm to 66 cm in width, after approximately 12 months. The plant has approximately 5 basal branches.

Leaves:

Form.—The leaf blade is ovate with a cuspidate tip and a cordate base. The margins are entire. The midrib is straight over the length of the leaf. The leaf margins are flat, having occasional undulations. The leaf blade is rigid and leathery in texture with a shiny surface. The upper leaf surface has natural shine and gloss with a polished appearance. The lower leaf surfaces are similarly shiny. All leaves lose gloss as they age.

Size.—Leaf blades of a flowering-sized plant are approximately 24 cm to 27 cm in overall length and approximately 13 cm to 15.5 cm in width measured at the widest point.

Veins.—The veins are sunken. The leaf blade is flat or slightly convex between veins on the upper surface. The midrib protrudes from the upper surface of the leaf for approximately ¾ the length of the leaf. Well defined primary veins radiate out from the juncture of the petiole and the leaf. Veins stand out prominently on the lower side. The midrib is keeled on the lower leaf surface. There are approximately 4-6 primary veins on the leaf.

Petiole.—The petiole is approximately 41 cm to 45 cm in length from the base of the petiole to the base of the leaf blade on the primary shoot. The petiole is approximately 4.0 mm in diameter just below the geniculum. The portion of the petiole beneath the geniculum is straight.

Petiole sheath.—The petiole sheath is approximately 4.6 cm in length and approximately 5.0 mm in width at the midpoint. The tip of the petiole sheath is tapered becoming flush with the petiole. There is approximately 34 cm to 38 cm between the top of the petiole sheath and the base of the geniculum.

Geniculum.—The geniculum is approximately 2.1 cm to 2.5 in length, approximately 4.5 mm in diameter, and is often curved. The color is RHS 146C to RHS 146D flushed with RHS 178B.

Lobes.—The leaf has two rounded lobes which extend past the petiole leaf junction. The distance from the petiole/leaf juncture to the highest point on the lobes is approximately 6.5 cm to 9.0 cm.

Colors.—Leaf: Upper surface: Darker and greener, but closest to, RHS 147A. Lower surface: RHS 146B. Midrib: Upper surface: RHS 146B, tinged with RHS 178B. Lower surface: RHS 146B to RHS 146C, tinged with RHS 178B. Petiole: RHS 146B to RHS 146C, with RHS 178A to RHS 178B on the surfaces exposed to direct light. Petiole sheath: RHS 146C, flushed with RHS 178B.

Inflorescence:

Immature.—The spathe is tightly rolled around the spadix and emerges from the petiole sheath. The spathe is fully open approximately when the peduncle is fully elongated. The inflorescence is approximately 60 cm to 67 cm tall measured from the soil surface to the apex of the spathe. The color of the inflorescence peduncle is greener than, but closet to, RHS 183A.

Mature.—Spathe Color: Fully open: Upper surface: Darker and redder than, but closest to RHS 46A. Lower surface: RHS 45A to RHS 46A. Faded: Upper surface: Darker than, but closest to, RHS 53A. Lower surface: Darker than, but closest to, RHS 46A.

Arrangement.—The inflorescence terminates as a straight wiry peduncle and opens vertically just above the leaves. The inflorescences are typically grouped in the center of the plant.

Shape.—The spathe is ovate with a cordate base and a cuspidate tip. It is slightly cupped when first open, flattening with age.

Size.—The fully expanded spathe is approximately 9.5 cm to 11.0 cm long and approximately 6.7 cm to 8.9 cm in width (Spathe not flattened for measurement).

Flowering time.—After approximately 12 months from a 20-week-old liner, for an untreated plant, depending on season, approximately 4 to 6 open blossoms and 3 buds may be present. Smaller blooms may occur on less mature growth. First flowers are typically produced approximately 7 months after planting a 20-week-old liner. Approximately 1-3 flowers are present.

Lastingness of the individual inflorescence.—The spathes retain their color for at least 8 weeks before beginning to fade. Cut inflorescences last about 3-4 weeks.

Fragrance.—None.

Reproductive organs:

Spadix.—Size: Approximately 5.6 cm to 8.5 cm in length and approximately 7 mm in diameter. Color: When the spathe unrolls, the spadix is greyer than, but closest to, RHS 79D, becoming RHS 79A at the apex. The spadix becomes considerably darker and greener than RHS 137A with age. Number of Flowers per spadix: Approximately 150-200. Stamens: Anthers and filaments are minute and not clearly visible. Pollen is white in color. Pistil: Translucent white, protruding between the staminate flowers, firmly fixed to the main axil. The pistil extends approximately 0.5 mm beyond the stamens. There is one pistil per flower.

Fruit/seeds: Anthurium ‘Cherry Red’ produces viable pollen and seeds, and has been used as a parent in a plant breeding program. Fruit: oblong to elliptic berry 7 mm in length, 5 mm in diameter. The color is green 147 B tinged with yellow 20 C when ripe. The flesh of the fruit is translucent yellow/orange 22 B, and sticky. The seed is elliptic, often somewhat flattened, and is 4 mm in length and 2 mm in diameter (color: 147 C). Each individual berry contains approximately 1 or 2 seeds. Depending on size and degree of pollination, a single inflorescence can yield 150-200 seeds.

Roots: White fleshy roots with fine laterals.

Disease resistance: Preventative disease and pest control measures used to grow crops of ‘Cherry Red’ are typical of ordinary commercial practice. Leaf spots caused by the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum gloesporioides have occasionally been noted on this variety. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named ‘Cherry Red’, as illustrated and described. 